Crime News
The Daily Signal reports on crime news with analysis and commentary on policies, crime rates, and policing debates.
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- News
6 Takeaways as Senators Question FBI Nominee Christopher Wray
President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next FBI director said he wasn’t aware of Donald Trump Jr.’s email chain about a Russian lawyer that has consumed the media, but did stress the need for the FBI’s independence. “I do not consider Director Mueller to be on a witch hunt,” Chris Wray says. Christopher Wray…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Malpractice in America’s Crime Labs Is Putting Innocents in Jail, Letting Convicts Off the Hook
Junk science endangers lives. Forensic junk science in the hands of overzealous prosecutors, ignorant police detectives, and reckless experts threatens liberty. There is a crisis in America’s government-run crime labs—and it’s not just the result of a few rogue operators. The problem is long-festering and systemic. In April, Massachusetts state crime lab chemist Annie Dookhan…Michelle Malkin -
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What a Former Colleague Thinks About Chris Wray Becoming FBI Director
“Chris Wray is extremely intelligent, very principled, very hardworking,” said a former colleague of President Donald Trump’s FBI director nominee in an interview with The Daily Signal. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing for FBI director nominee, Christopher Wray, on Wednesday. John Malcom, The Heritage Foundation’s vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government…Katrina Willis -
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House Passes Kate’s Law, No Sanctuary for Criminals Act
The House of Representatives passed two bills Thursday focused on illegal immigration. One bill, Kate’s Law “enhances the current maximum sentences for illegal reentry into the United States, serving as a strong deterrent for deported felons seeking to come back to the United States,” according to its sponsor, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. It passed 257-167. The other…Katrina Willis -
- Opinion
The Double Murder of Otto Warmbier
We may never know what brutal torture and malign neglect American student Otto Warmbier suffered at the hands of North Korea’s dictatorship before losing his life this week at the age of 22. But it wasn’t the first time the free-spirited Ohio native died. More than a year before succumbing to the unknown illness or…Michelle Malkin -
- Opinion
Contrary to Media Reports, Criminal Justice Reform Is Anything but Dead
In 1897, an infamous New York Journal article pronounced the death of Mark Twain. Upon hearing the report, Twain, still alive and kicking, quipped, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Such exaggerations still abound. More than a century later, some in the media are proclaiming the death of criminal justice reform efforts. One…John-Michael Seibler -
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Why Conservatives Put Trust in Trey Gowdy as House’s Corruption Fighter
Conservative leaders say they’re confident the new chairman of a House of Representatives panel that targets corruption will dedicate himself to reviewing executive branch actions, including during the Obama administration. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., assumed the chairmanship of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after his confirmation Tuesday. He takes the reins from Rep. Jason…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
How Jeff Sessions Just Stopped the Justice Department From Robbing the Public
It might seem strange to see a headline stating that the U.S. attorney general has stopped the Justice Department from robbing the public, but that is exactly what Attorney General Jeff Sessions just did. In a memorandum dated June 5 that was directed to the head of each component of the Department of Justice and…Paul J. Larkin -
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6 Crimes Special Counsel Might Pursue in Trump-Russia Probe
What ousted FBI Director James Comey tells Congress could set the tone for what his predecessor, now the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, looks into. “Comparisons to Watergate are way over the top,” Ron Hosko says. But, barring any new bombshells when Comey testifies Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, legal…Fred Lucas -
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Justice Department Ends Government Bankrolling of Liberal Groups in Legal Settlements
The federal government no longer will make settlement agreements with any person or organization not directly involved in a legal dispute, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Wednesday. The move by Sessions abolished a practice that has funneled likely millions of dollars in banking settlements to outside organizations in such “third-party” payments. Left-wing groups, including La…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
This Well-Intentioned Bill Could Turn Local Accidents Into Federal Crimes
Senators on Capitol Hill recently introduced the Back the Blue Act of 2017 with the laudable objective of supporting public safety officers. While that intention is noble, the bill unfortunately omits something crucial: the ancient element of crime known as “mens rea” (Latin for “guilty mind”). Mens rea distinguishes between tragic accidents, or innocent mistakes,…John G. Malcolm -
- Opinion
I’m an Attorney General Asking Supreme Court to Uphold Trump’s Travel Ban. Here’s Why.
On Tuesday, I filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily pausing the entry of foreign nationals from six terror-prone counties. Supreme Court review is needed because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit recently ruled against the valid executive order. I am leading a multistate…Ken Paxton -
- News
Senate Committee Launches New Clinton Corruption Investigation
Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has launched a new investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s effort to thwart a Bangladesh government corruption probe of Muhammad Yunus, a Clinton Foundation donor and close friend of the Clintons. The Iowa Republican’s effort is the first new official inquiry of Clinton since her…Richard Pollock -
- Opinion
We Hear You: Illegal Immigration and MS-13 Make a Lethal Combination
Editor’s note: The mixture of illegal immigration and violent crime in Josh Siegel’s profile of the transnational gang MS-13, and his separate interview with the leader of a police task force fighting MS-13 in suburban Maryland, sparked blunt and passionate response from readers. Here’s a sample.—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: It is long past the time we…Ken McIntyre -
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March for Life Wants Justice Department to Investigate Planned Parenthood
The March for Life, along with over a dozen other organizations, signed a letter released Tuesday asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI acting Director Andrew McCabe to investigate Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the selling of fetal tissue. “We, the undersigned representing millions of Americans, strongly support an investigation into paid fetal tissue transfers involving Planned…Paul Runko -
- Opinion
Portland Mayor’s Push to Curb Free Speech Wrong Response to Murders
In response to the terrible violence on Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler wants to make the city a safe space, urging the federal government to block two controversial events slated to be held in the liberal enclave in early June. But curbing free speech isn’t the right response—and Wheeler’s decision to do so now suggests…Katrina Trinko -
- News
Trump Fired a VA Official for Corruption. Then the VA Stepped in and Said Not So Fast.
A Department of Veterans Affairs manager fired for corruption the first day of President Donald Trump’s presidency—to rousing acclaim from veterans who heralded it as a sign of lasting reform—has been returned to work by VA officials after he filed a civil-service protections appeal. The return of the Puerto Rico hospital director is the latest example…Luke Rosiak -
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Debbie Wasserman Schultz Questions Criminal Probe of Her IT Staffer, Promising ‘Consequences’ for Capitol Police
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz threatened the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police with “consequences” for holding equipment that she says belongs to her in order to build a criminal case against a Pakistani staffer suspected of massive cybersecurity breaches involving funneling sensitive congressional data offsite. The Florida lawmaker used her position on the committee that…Luke Rosiak -
- News
What a Tea Party Leader Thinks of Lois Lerner’s Latest Move in Court
One tea party leader is still looking for answers from the IRS. Lawyers for Lois Lerner, who resigned under fire as a division chief at the Internal Revenue Service, argue that more details of her reported targeting of tea party groups should not be revealed because her safety is in danger. But Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Commission Recommends Changes to DC’s Antiquated Criminal Code
This month, the Washington, D.C., Criminal Code Reform Commission gave Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council a set of sensible recommendations on “modernization of the District’s criminal statutes.” It offers the mayor, council members, the public, as well as Congress and lawmakers in any jurisdiction much to consider. The commission has until Oct. l, 2018,…John-Michael Seibler